The objective of this program is the iterative molecular design and clinical evaluation of an artificial skin for the treatment of patients with massive skin loss, such as burn victims. During the first 4 years of this program we succeeded in iteratively designing a series of composite materials, most of which now possess negligible antigenicity and excellent resistance to enzymatic degradation when implanted subcutaneously in guinea pigs. Beginning with the 5th year of this program we aim to further develop this series of composite materials in order to make them suitable for use as cutaneous grafts in guinea pigs. Specifically, we will pursue the control of moisture permeability, wetting of and adhesion to the wound bed, and of mechanical properties. We will also attempt to facilitate the infiltration of the graft boundary with epithelial cells as well as the infiltration of the bulk of the graft with cells originating in the underlying granulation tissue in a deliberate pursuit of connective tissue synthesis and neovascularization in the graft.